Publication: Added value the young people bring to the companies (2013)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The unemployment rate among youth remains the highest compared to other age groups, and is increasing in recent years.

The studies conducted in this area show that young people are disadvantaged on the labour market.

The research revealed a big discrepancy between the expectations employers have and the level of preparation of young people, who are often fresh graduates of the educational institutions. This significantly affects the availability of economic agents to employ young people, the main reason being their expectation to achieve high productivity of youth immediately after their employment.

Also, there have been identified other barriers that affect the availability of economic agents to employ young people, including the poor work experience of youth, the level of compliance of the graduates’ skills with the market requirements, the need to make additional investments to increase the young people's professional competence, the differences specific to different generations representatives regarding their value systems and attitudes, etc.

The study has identified young people’s points of view concerning the way of entering the labour market and in general their professional activity. Thus, have been identified a range of aspects regarding the future employer’s image, the most important including: the prospects for growth offered by the company, the stability level provided by the employer, prestige and reputation, the level of remuneration and the reliability of the management representatives.

There have been also identified employers' requirements that displease the young people. These requirements cover two main categories: reasons related to the running and the management of the business and the reasons that contradict the law in force.

Based on the collected data, there have been identified the benefits that young people bring to employers, if they are employed. They concern a significant number of professional skills, as well as aspects related to the orientation of young people related to their values, attitudes and behaviours.

To be fully realized, these benefits require changes in the human resources management and in the personnel management style, an effort that needs to be made by employers to enhance the value of youth potential and to create operating and sustainable development conditions of the companies.

In conclusion, there have been developed a number of recommendations for the most important actors, the core aspect being the need for a constant dialogue between the involved parties.

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